Summer in Old Town Alexandria VAIs there a better place to spend a summer afternoon than Old Town Alexandria?
King Street is lined with brick sidewalks that offer entrance to many shops and restaurants. At benches or around cafe tables, tourists and locals enjoy the atmosphere of Old Town. It's a place where folks find tasty treats to tempt the pickiest palate. A mix of people---patrons and peddlers, pedalers and pedestrians---pass as others pause to partake in a simple sidewalk sandwich. Flags---French and American, Irish and otherwise---give clue as to the fare found in these happy haunts.
Less than 2 blocks from where this picture was taken, one can find food that is French, Irish, Italian, Chinese, Thai, Mexican, Southern, Cajun, American, Colonial and more. Shops with collectibles, fine apparel and shoes, furnishings and touristy knick-knacks are all here. The King Street Trolley is free and an easy way to wander from the Potomac to the Metro and back again. Parking garages are found nearby under Market Square and elsewhere.
Why just visit Old Town when declining prices and a buyer's market mean that you can finally afford to live here? Here's a little info on a few nearby communities.
Sponsored by Condo 1 Alexandria / Will Nesbitt Realty LLC Serving real estate needs of Northern VA · in Alexandria · in Arlington · in Fairfax County · | ||
Jones Point Park on the Potomac in Alexandria VAJones Point Park is owned by the National Park Service and it's 52-plus acres compise the largest open space in Old Town Alexandria VA. Jones Point is located on the Potomac River near the Woodrow Wilson Bridge in the southeast corner of Alexandria, Virginia. Jones Point is a nice place for a walk or picnic by the Potomac and is popular with Alexandria's bird watchers, dog owners and history buffs. In addition to open green space and river banks, Jones Point offers
The survey stones placed here under the direction and guidance of George Washington after 1790 mark the original boundaries of the District of Columbia. The land which George Washington surveyed for the Federal City was within the capital boundaries for 45 years, from February 27, 1801 until September 7, 1846, when Alexandria was ceded back into Northern Virginia by Congress.
Jones Point Park is very accessible for residents of Old
Town Alexandria, Ford's
Landing, Porto Vecchio and Bearings
South.
Sponsored by Condo 1 Alexandria / Will Nesbitt Realty LLC Serving real estate needs of Northern VA · in Alexandria · in Arlington · in Fairfax County · | ||
Old Town Alexandria's Waterfront
Where the Water Meets the the Road
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Introduction to Old Town AlexandriaOld Town (sometimes called Olde Town, Old Towne or Olde Towne) is in my opinion the heart of the city of Alexandria. As the name implies, Old Town is the oldest part of Alexandria, a port in colonial times. Old Town Alexandria is found along the Potomac, just inside the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and then north toward Reagan National Airport. Old Town is served by the King St. Metro and the King St. trolley. With over 100 restaurants, shops, boutiques, coffee shops, ice cream houses and more, Old Town has both a small town, upscale and touristy feel. For most folks there is a bit of prestige attached to an Old Town address. There are two high rises near the waterfront at the Alexandria House and Port Royal. Old Town Alexandria has many townhouses, row houses and a smaller number single family homes.
Sponsored by Condo 1 Alexandria / Will Nesbitt Realty LLC Serving real estate needs of Northern VA · in Alexandria · in Arlington · in Fairfax County · |
Although
the National Park Service owns Jones Point Park, the Alexandria Department of Recreation,
Parks and Cultural Activities manages the park. The parks custodians strive to preserve
and showcase the 9,000 years of human history evidenced at Jones Point. Recognizable
touch-points like Jones Point Lighthouse from the middle of the 19th Century are found
here along with artifacts from Native Americans and colonists from the early days
of European settlement. During the first World War, Jones Point was an important shipbuilding
site and remnants of that abandoned heritage are unearthed for visitors to see.
Alexandria's
history as a colonial seaport is well-known in the area, and is one of the reasons
that this city to calls to visitors from around the country and around the world.
Alexandria's seaport was once a bustling place of industry and commerce, but the cargo
ships and packets from foreign seas are long gone now. Today, Alexandria's waterfront
is geared more toward the pleasant than the practical.
